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As the holidays get underway, we make plans to celebrate with loved ones. Our favorite dishes are on the menu, brimming with the flavors we look forward to each year.

Chefs in metro Detroit pride themselves on creativity at their restaurants. But when it comes to the holidays, many default to the foods they grew up with. They love their homey family traditions that connect them to their roots, especially when recipes come from grandmothers and mothers.

We asked three local chefs for their go-to family recipes for the holiday season. Each chef tackled a different course, sharing dishes that have been passed down for generations. We wanted to hear about the recipes’ origins and the chefs’ memories surrounding them. Try one or try them all — maybe you’ll discover a new family tradition for your holiday celebrations.

Norberto Garita, Chef/owner,, Detroit

For chef Norberto Garita, chile en nogada feels most like home for the holidays. It’s a seasonal dish that features a beef-, pork-, fruit-, and nut-filled poblano pepper that’s fried and served with a creamy walnut sauce. A pomegranate-seed and parsley garnish creates an ornamental red, white, and green Christmas palette.

Garita learned this festive offering from his mother; it originated in their hometown of Puebla, Mexico. The ingredients and aromas remind him of his childhood and the flavors that surrounded him on their family farm. El Barzon features the dish from June to December.

Chile En Nogada

Peppers

• 1⁄2 pound pork loin
• 1⁄2 pound beef, such as sirloin
• Kosher salt
• 6 to 8 poblano peppers
• Freshly ground pepper
• 4 Roma tomatoes, core removed
• 1 garlic clove
• 1⁄2 cup chopped onion
• Olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup raisins
• 1 each apple, pear, peach, and plantain, diced
• 1⁄4 cup toasted chopped almonds
• 1⁄4 cup toasted chopped walnuts
• 1⁄4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 6 egg whites, room temperature
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1⁄2 cup fresh parsley leaves

Walnut Sauce

• 6 ounces panela cheese
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon brandy
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Start the meat. Place both meats in a large pot. Cover with 1 inch of water and a tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour until very tender, removing impurities from the surface.

Prepare the peppers. While the meat cooks, position the peppers under a broiler, turning frequently, to char all over. Place them in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to steam for 30 minutes. Peel the peppers and make a slit down one side. Carefully remove the heart, seeds, and ribs. Set aside until needed.

Make the walnut sauce. Add all the walnut sauce ingredients to a blender and blend on high to emulsify. It should have the consistency of a very smooth sauce. To thicken, add more cheese; incorporate more milk to thin if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Finish the filling. Remove the meats from the pot and cool slightly, reserving 1⁄2 cup of the meat broth. Shred the meats and chop finely. Put the reserved broth in a blender with the tomatoes, garlic, and onion and beat until smooth.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Cook the meat on high heat, stirring often, for around 5 minutes. Add the tomato liquid to the meats with the raisins and cook for 8 minutes. Mix in the diced fruits, cooking another 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the toasted nuts. Season with salt and pepper.

Fry the peppers. Beat the egg whites in a mixer until stiff. Carefully fill each pepper with the meat and fruit mixture, without overstuffing. Reseal the seam.

Dust the stuffed peppers with flour, then roll in egg whites until coated. Heat 1⁄4 cup of oil in a skillet. Carefully fry the peppers, turning occasionally, until golden all over. Drain on a tray with paper towel.

Serve. Ladle sauce over each pepper decoratively. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and fresh parsley leaves.

Serves 6-8.

Kate Williams, Chef/owner, , Detroit

When your parents come from two big Irish Catholic families, there are plenty of mouths to feed. Often, it’s a casserole that does the trick. For chef Kate Williams, cheesy potatoes are a staple of every holiday celebration.

The recipe comes from her grandmother and is now made by one of her many aunts. It’s a departure from her farm-to-table menu at Lady of the House, but Williams says it’s the dish that best represents Michigan, her family, and the holidays.

While she grates the potatoes and makes a cheesy béchamel, other relatives have admitted to substituting those ingredients with frozen potatoes and canned soup. The key is to use raw onions, which give the dish its signature flavor. The topping is a delightful textural crunch of cornflakes and melted butter.

Cheesy Potatoes

Potatoes

• 3 pounds diced, raw, peeled Yukon potatoes or 2 pounds frozen hash browns, thawed
• 1 cup béchamel, chicken soup, or cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 1⁄2 cup raw white onion, small-medium diced
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Topping

• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups crushed cornflakes
• 1 or 2 jalapeños, sliced (optional)
• 3 tablespoons minced chives

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. For raw potatoes, place in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes and drain.
3. Mix the potatoes with the béchamel or soup, sour cream, butter, onion, and 2 cups of the cheddar cheese until well blended. Spread the mixture evenly in a greased 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Top with the remaining cheddar.
4. Place the butter for the topping and cornflakes in a separate bowl, tossing to coat. Sprinkle over the casserole, then top with jalapeños, if using. Bake for 50 minutes until bubbling and top is golden brown.
5. Cool slightly and garnish with chives before serving.

Serves 8.

Carla Spicuzzi, Pastry chef, , Ferndale

Cookies are a big part of the holiday season, especially for Coeur’s pastry chef, Carla Spicuzzi. These cookies, called angel wings, come from her Italian great-grandmother Eugenia.

Affectionally called “Nonnie,” she was known as a fantastic cook. She made these only on Christmas, and they vanished instantly once guests arrived.

Spicuzzi loves these because they’re easy and delicious and the high yield makes them perfect for a big crowd. She puts a professional twist on them with some citrus and warm spices. The dough is rolled paper-thin, cut into strips, then folded. While they fry, the “wings” curl, giving the cookies a distinct celestial shape. A dusting of powdered sugar makes them look like little snow-covered angels.

Angel Wings

• 1 3⁄4 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Zest of 1⁄4 orange
• Zest of 1⁄4 lemon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 1 tablespoon Cognac
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• Vegetable oil
• 1 cup (or more) powdered sugar

Directions

1. Combine the flour with the cinnamon and cloves in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, egg, sugar, both zests, vanilla, Cognac, and salt. Gradually combine the dry ingredients with the wet, mixing until a dough forms. Add additional flour if needed. Knead the dough on a floured surface until soft but not sticky. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil 3 inches deep in a large pot or Dutch oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out dough in sections until paper-thin. Cut into 1-by-3-inch strips and make a 1-inch slit down the middle. Loop one end through the opening to form a twist. Fry in batches, turning, until golden and drain on a paper towel. Once cool, sprinkle the powdered sugar over the cookies.

Makes approximately 70 cookies.

This story originally appeared in the December 2024 issue of ������ Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of ������ Detroit at a local retail outlet. Our will be available on Dec. 9.